Will You Remain Quiet? - Day 11 (1444.h)
مَّن يَشۡفَعۡ شَفَٰعَةً حَسَنَةً يَكُن لَّهُۥ نَصِيبٌ مِّنۡهَاۖ وَمَن يَشۡفَعۡ شَفَٰعَةً سَيِّئَةً يَكُن لَّهُۥ كِفۡلٌ مِّنۡهَاۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ مُّقِيتًا
Whosoever intercedes for a good cause will have the reward thereof, and whosoever intercedes for an evil cause will have a share in its burden. And Allâh is Ever All-Able to do (and also an All-Witness to) everything.
Sūrah An-Nisā', Āyah 85
﷽
Often, we speak and carry out actions, forgetting that the writers are writing. We do things without thinking of their impacts and their end result. Will the ultimate result of this statement or action be good or evil? Will this be for us or against us?
We should understand that whatever actions we put forth, there will be due recompense. And the path which we aid, we will have a share in its earnings, be it good or evil. Nowadays, with our tongues at our fingertips, it’s easy for us to promote anything. We should be careful because we will be called to account for that which we promote.
It’s not “just a post”, “just a meme” or “just for fun”. It’s an action that can and will be used either for us or against us. We should beware of having ongoing evil instead of an ongoing charity, an evil statement or post being shared from one person to the other.
Indeed the writers are writing…
Our Lord, The Almighty, said:
كُنتُمۡ خَيۡرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخۡرِجَتۡ لِلنَّاسِ تَأۡمُرُونَ بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِ وَتَنۡهَوۡنَ عَنِ ٱلۡمُنكَرِ
You [true believers in Islâmic Monotheism, and real followers of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) and his Sunnah] are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind; you enjoin Al-Ma‘rûf (i.e. Islâmic Monotheism and all that Islâm has ordained) and forbid Al-Munkar (polytheism, disbelief and all that Islâm has forbidden)
Sūrah Āl-ʿImrān:110
Allāh mentioned that true believers are the best people ever raised. And what makes them so? They enjoin the good and forbid the evil! They promote and intercede in good causes, they call to the worship of Allāh alone and forbid all that is evil and despicable… They do not just stay silent like spectators when Allāh’s boundaries are crossed, and they are not mute devils.
Imām Al-Qayyim (رحمه الله) said:
"What religion and what good is in a person who witnesses Allah’s prohibitions being violated, His limits being neglected, His religion abandoned, and the Sunnah of His Messenger deserted, while he remains cold-hearted and silent; a mute devil. Just as the person who utters falsehood is a speaking devil." (1)
Would we be silent if our parents were being disrespected? Would we just be spectators? Why then do we not reason when it comes to The One who created them?
It was narrated that Anas bin Mālik (رضي الله عنه) said: "The Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) said: 'None of you truly believes until I am more beloved to him than his child, his father and all the people.'" (2)
We are not true believers until we love The Prophet more than any of the creation until we feel that sense of jealousy over him above any other person until we want to defend him (ﷺ) more than our own parents. How would we not love him (ﷺ) more than our parents or any of the creation? Did anyone else cry and seek forgiveness for us from our Lord even before we were born?
We should strive to please Allāh wherever we are and not fear the blame of the blamers. We should, first of all, obey the commands of Allāh to the best of our ability then call the people to the worship of Allāh and forbid them from evil even if they make a mockery of us, and even if the people desert us. And know that you can never attain the pleasure of the people even if you tried.
"It's upon you to command (the good), forbid (the evil) and clarify (things). Whoever's pleased is pleased and whoever's displeased is displeased." (3)
I leave you with this statement of Allāh:
إِنۡ أَحۡسَنتُمۡ أَحۡسَنتُمۡ لِأَنفُسِكُمْۖ وَإِنۡ أَسَأۡتُمۡ فَلَهَاۚ
(And We said): "If you do good, you do good for your own selves, and if you do evil (you do it) against yourselves."
Sūrah Al-Isrā':7
(1) - 'Lam Al-Muwaqqi'in, (2/198). Translated By Ustādh Muṣṭafā George
(2) - Sunan Ibn Majah (67)
(3) - Explanation of Kitāb At-Tawḥīd of Al-'Allāmah ibn Ḥumayd (pg 488)
